History

1883 - The company that would become Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. is founded by G.A. Krause, who believed in the possibility of opportunity.

1901 – Krause organizes the Rogue River Electric Light and Power Company and brings electricity to Rockford, Michigan from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.

1903 – Now a family business, Krause and his sons build a shoe factory in Rockford, Michigan. It makes 300 pairs of shoes daily.

1908 – The Krauses build the Wolverine tannery and begin supplying their shoe factory with tough, durable horsehide.

1914 – The Wolverine brand name is chosen for shoes made of Wolverine horsehide leather. Because of their durability, they're called "1,000 Mile Shoes."

1919 – Wolverine begins national advertising: Wolverine work shoes are sold by one of the earliest national sales forces and become a household name.

1921 – Flush with success, the company changes its name to Wolverine Shoe and Tanning Corporation.

1928 – The company begins selling shares to its own employees, becoming one of the nation's first profit sharing plans.

1931 – The Great Depression arrives. Although sales are down, factory lines are kept running and shoes are warehoused for brighter times the owners know lie ahead.

1941 – During World War II, the Wolverine Shoe and Tanning Company begins to work for the U.S. Navy, developing pigskin gloves.

1946 – At war's end, company engineers build a factory to produce their new leather called "pigskin suede."

1952 – With horses disappearing from the American landscape, Wolverine Shoe and Tanning Corporation searches for new ways to use pigskin suede. G.A. Krause's son, Victor, leads the charge.

1957 – A breakthrough comes via the creation of soft, suede casual shoes. America would never be the same.

1958 – The casual brand shoe, Hush Puppies, is born, having gotten its name from the treats Southerners used to quiet barking dogs.

1959 – Wolverine launches the Hush Puppies brand with a heavy marketing and advertising campaign.

1959 – Hush Puppies signs its first licensee: Greb Shoes, Ltd. of Canada. Plans for international expansions ensue.

1963 – Sales of Hush Puppies shoes go through the roof with an average of one in ten American adults owning a pair of Hush Puppies.

1964 – The company chooses a more fitting name: Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. (WWW).

1965 – Company stock goes up on the "Big Board" and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time.

1976 – Wolverine Worldwide begins laying the foundations of its brand family and leading technologies.

1986 – The company funds the Biomechanical Engineering Laboratory at Michigan State University and forms the International Design Center in Montecatini, Italy.

1989 – The company's international business reaches record levels. The total value of the wholesale sales of international licensees surpasses the level of wholesale business in the states.

1990 – Wolverine Worldwide begins building its future, beginning with a dynamic new image for Hush Puppies: "We Invented Casual."

1992 – Hush Puppies introduces DuraShocks, the first true comfort system for work boots.

1994 – Wolverine Worldwide introduces the world to Cat Footwear. The new "Walking Machines" are quickly liked and a new fashion finds its way onto city streets.

1995 – Hush Puppies are voted Fashion Accessory of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

1997 – The company purchases the Merrell brand and begins the process of developing the leading global brand in performance outdoor footwear.

1998 – Wolverine Worldwide acquires the global license for footwear from the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, which becomes one of the company's top performing brands.

2001 – Wolverine Worldwide acquires European Caterpillar and Merrell businesses, creating the company's first owned wholesale businesses on the continent.

2003 – The company purchases Sebago, the authentic American brand featuring handsewn dress casual and performance marine footwear, including Docksides.

2005 – Company sales top one billion dollars for the first time.

2009 – The company acquires the Colorado-based footwear brand, Chaco

2009 – Wolverine Worldwide receives the "Excellence in Lifestyle Branding" award from the American Apparel and Footwear Association

2012 – WWW acquires the PLG group from Collective Brands, Inc. This adds Sperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Stride Rite and keds to the existing brand family.

2012 — Wolverine Worldwide receives prestigious industry recognition and is named Company of the Year by Footwear News.

2013 — Wolverine Worldwide receives Company of the Year at the Footwear Plus Awards for Design Excellence.